At a recent White House press conference, President Donald Trump addressed a surprising shift in opinion from Torsten Sløk, a prominent economist. Once a vocal critic of Trump’s tariff policies, Sløk now believes the controversial strategy may have been more effective than initially thought. His change of perspective comes in light of recent strong U.S. economic performance.

When Trump took office, he implemented steep tariffs on major trade partners such as China, Mexico, and Canada. These actions drew widespread criticism and sparked fears of a looming global trade war. Many economists, including Sløk, warned that these policies could lead to a recession and harm global economic stability.

Despite the dire predictions, the U.S. economy has remained resilient. On June 27, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached record highs, surprising many experts. This development led Sløk to reconsider his earlier position and acknowledge that Trump’s aggressive trade approach might have worked to America’s advantage.

In a June 21 blog post for Apollo Academy, Sløk—who now serves as the chief economist at Apollo Global Management—wrote that the economy’s strength suggested Trump’s tactics might have been underestimated. He noted that while uncertainty remained a factor, a long-term plan could reduce those risks.

During the press briefing, a reporter asked Trump for his reaction to Sløk’s comments. Trump was visibly pleased, calling it “the best question” he had ever been asked. He stood by his tariff decisions, citing the lack of inflation and strong revenue from foreign nations as proof of their success.

When pressed about his critics, Trump didn’t hold back. He bluntly stated that many of them should “go back to business school,” emphasizing that the U.S. had collected significant funds from countries like China and that earlier fears had proven baseless.

In his blog, Sløk suggested maintaining 30% tariffs on Chinese goods and 10% on others, paired with a 12-month adjustment period for trade partners. This, he said, would provide clarity and time for adaptation.

Ultimately, Sløk concluded that Trump’s trade strategy might benefit both U.S. and global economies. His reversal implies that Trump’s tariff game may have been a long-term play that outmaneuvered his critics.